The Collinsport Chronicles XXXiX: Metamorphosis
by Maryland Rose
Summary: Can Phillip be restored to his true shape? And who could have transformed into a monstruous man fish?
1. Chapter 1

The manfish who has been roaming Collinsport and attacking animals and people has been captured and identified as the missing Phillip Todd. Roger is planning how to murder Adam to keep him from marrying Carolyn. Derek and Patterson found the treasure they were hunting from. A valuable piece of that treasure, a Faberge egg, is missing and Patterson and Derek blame each other..

* * *

METAMORPHOSIS

Chapter 1

Vicky wept silently against the glass plate that formed the front wall of the aquarium. She knew that she should be strong, but after a whole day of trying to communicate, she felt like giving up.

"It is not hopeless" Barnabas tried to cheer her up.

"I try, but I get nowhere. I knew that it would be hard, but..."

"It will be slow, but we believe that Phillip recognizes you."

"What good does it do? He can't talk?"

"He may remember how to read and write. Your presence may make him remember. And if he does, he may be able to tell us what to do."

"You don't give up easily, don't you?"

"No. I found out that not giving up pays off."

"You really think that there is hope?"

"There is always hope."

"But not much of it, not lately."

Barnabas looked at her. "You have been here all day, have you?"

'Yes."

"You are exhausted. You are probably hungry, too. You need to rest, and to try to have a normal life. You got your baby, you got your school, you got the pantry. You cannot neglect them."

"This is more important."

"If you become exhausted to the point of hitting the wall, you will do Phillip no good. You will need to have a clear head, and if you drive yourself like this, that's the one thing you won't have. Go home, get refreshed. Don't stay here too long, either. If you push yourself you'll make mistakes."

"But I want so much to make it right again."

"So do we. But sometimes things take time."

* * *

One missing Faberge egg. Two former partners accusing each other of theft. One of the partners, an obnoxious former law officer. the other a likeable, polite con man. And on top of that, one of the local residents transformed into some kind of fish.

And if that was not enough, George realized, tourist season was upon them.

He liked tourists. They were good for the local economy, and most of them were polite and well behaved.

But the ones that were not... There was no way to screen the people who came to Collinsport for the season. No way to tell the honest citizens from the pickpockets who followed them like flies follow horses. And pickpockets were not the worst, they were probably the best they could hope for. Some of the summer visitors could be outright dangerous and long overdue for a stay in an institution for the criminally insane.

Just when everybody was having a vacation, his own workload went through the roof.

Well, it could be worse. Barnabas knew enough not to bite tourists, nor to make himself notorious in any way... As Megan had known when she was here.

No, the notorious one was himself, the gay sheriff of Collinsport. He was bound to become the next tourist attraction... Gimme a break...

* * *

Julia shook her head. Toughest problem she ever had. She sounded. hopeful in Vicky's presence because she had to. but it felt like she was beating her head against the wall.

How could anyone reach Phillip? He could not talk, could not understand their gestures. As for writing, it was useless to even think about it, not matter how hopeful Barnabas was on that. It just could not be done.

But she had promised Barnabas that she would try. She had been optimistic at first, with reservations, of course. And Barnabas believed that she could do it. It was touching, the belief that Barnabas had on her powers. And a real pain.

She went to the blackboard and traced the letters on it. PHILLIP VICKY. Phillip did not seem to react to that. Why should he? Writing and reading was one more of the things that he had forgotten.

Again she wondered who such change could be effected. A spell, a curse, yes. She could understand that. But what kind of spell, on what conditions?

All she could do was to run basic tests on him. Skin and blood samples. X rays, basal metabolism. And they told her what she already knew. Phillip had been turned into a fish.

If Angelique were there... But they could not communicate with her yet...

If Eliot were here... But he was dead.

But he had left his notes. Maybe there was something in them about man-fish hybrids...

* * *

Peter opened the egg. He did not know how it had gotten into his room. Suddenly one day it was there, at the foot of his bed...

But he knew what it was. When he opened, he could see the dancers, as he had seen them before, in the windowpane. And they would dance..

And they somehow needed him.

* * *

"A man-fish?" Munsungan tried to speak. I have heard stories about such...

He stopped. The cough racked his body and he shivered.

"Don't exert yourself," Barnabas said.

"It is no use" Munsungan said calmly "my time has come. The last battle I fought... I stopped the fire from devouring us all."

Barnabas nodded. They all owed their lives to the old shaman who now lay dying before him.

"The time comes to all of us." Munsungan said clearly. "Mine is now. I cannot help you. But be warned, there is danger ahead. No such fish man could exist without a man to create it. A man who will attempt to destroy you all who try to lift the spell... A man with a grievance against you., yourself. I almost can see his face."

Barnabas bowed his head. He could not find help here. All he could do was to be with the old shaman as he died, remembering the battles they had fought.

He stayed with him. He saw that he would not last the night. He took one of the old man's hands and held it.

Munsungan's face was calm, even if his breath was labored. Every now and then another cough shook him. Barnabas wondered what was killing the old man...

Probably tuberculosis... sanitary conditions in the Indian reservations left a lot to be desired. He knew the statistics. And at his age, Munsungan had lived longer that he would be expected do.

It was his time now, as Munsungan said. To everyone his time. Even to him, one day."

Munsungan opened his eyes and said something, that Barnabas did not understand. He bent over to listen better.

"Your time will come sooner than you think. You will reach the end of your journey soon, Barnabas Collins. I cannot tell you when, but know that it will come soon. Do not fear it, and do not be bitter for what it robs you of."

"I will not."

"Leave me now. It is time to be with my people"

Barnabas rose, squeezed the old man's hand once more and left him. He passed Harry Redwolf as he left. He did not speak It was not the time for that.

* * *

Angelique was still unreachable. Munsungan was dying. Who else? Who could be of help?

George thought about Nicholas. No. By all reliable accounts he was now a hopeless drunk, his effectiveness completely lost. And even if he was not, he was still malevolent, still willing to cause trouble for anyone, He just could not be trusted.

How about Amy Jennings? She used to read the cards at one time... Maybe she could give them answers.

And maybe Sebastian Shaw...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Vicky fought back the tears. She had to stop acting like a child. She was supposed to help Phillip, not feel sorry for herself.

She stared at Phillip in the tank, spoke his name and hers, pointing first and him and then herself.

Phillip stared back, numb as if he could not make out what she was doing. He tentatively waved at her, but stopped. She pressed against the glass, wanting him to come nearer, to try to touch her, but he did not. She looked at the arms, remembering when one of the had shot up out of the water, terrifying her. It was not limp at his side.

He was confused. And doped up. Julia said that he needed to rest and not exert himself while he healed. But it made things much more difficult.

She wondered what would happen if he were to react violently. Would he hurt himself against the glass, trying to reach her? Would he shatter it, thus condemning himself to death, either cut by the glass or by asphyxiation?:

She would not think of it. She would keep trying as she had promised Barnabas and herself. She tried once more.

"Vicky" she said, pointing at herself.

"Phillip" she added, pointing at him.

Phillip just stared. There was a fleeting expression in his face, but it did not last long.

If only he'd react, even if it meant hurling himself at the glass. They had reassured her that there was no danger. The aquarium was made of sturdy glass, which could hold sharks, and yet...

She was ashamed to say it, but at times she was afraid of Phillip. And then she was afraid for him. And then she felt despair, she felt the knowledge the tings would never be right again, that Phillip was. destined to die a fish.

And yet she had to believe that things _would_ get better. She could not give in. She could not allow Phillip to be taken away from her as Burke and Peter had been.

* * *

"You want me to come read the cards for Phillip?" Amy asked.

"Yes." George said. "You don't have to come to Collinsport for it. You can do it over the phone."

Amy grimaced. "It would be better if I saw him. And I think it is best if I left here, at least for a while. Of course, you know that I am a bit out of practice. I keep doing it, mainly to keep in touch, but I'd rather be a reporter than a card reader. No one made a movie with Robert Redford as a card reader."

"You've been talking with Oriana, haven't you?"

"Yes. She encouraged me a lot. I imagine that since she does have problems with her... condition about some assignments, not to mention the children, she is grooming me to take over."

"You get along fine with her, don't you?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to leave. It is about time that I stopped tagging after Chris. We are old enough both of us so that we don't need this big brother/baby sister routine. At last I know that he will be all right with Oriana. She's right for him."

"Much better than Sabrina?" George asked mischievously

"I did not have much contact with Sabrina, but considering how their marriage ended up, I say that they were not made for each other."

"So when can you get here?"

"Listen, you'll have to give me a couple of weeks. I have something here that I have to finish. And I need to practice my card reading to get up to speed. You are not in a hurry, are you?"

"Take the two weeks. We'll wait for you."

* * *

"Someone's praying Lord, Kumbaya/ Someone's praying Lord, Kumbaya/ Someone's praying Lord, Kumbaya/Oh, Lord, Kumbaya."

Iris sat at the Blue Whale, a glass in her hand, listening to the jukebox.

Someone's crying Lord, Kumbaya/ Someone's crying Lord, Kumbaya/ Someone's crying Lord, Kumbaya/Oh, Lord, Kumbaya.""

George, tired of a long day, not only at his job, but also trying to communicate with Phillip and failing saw this. He sensed trouble with her. There was something wrong about the way she stared. It demanded that something be done about it.

He sat at her table and took a glass himself

Someone's hurting Lord, Kumbaya/ Someone's hurting Lord, Kumbaya/ Someone's hurting Lord, Kumbaya/Oh, Lord, Kumbaya."

She stared at him coldly. "I thought you were not supposed to drink while on duty."

"I am off duty. My day is over, and not a moment too soon." he said, amiably enough.

"And why would you want to sit with me? You don't owe me an explanation. Barnabas and I had broken up before you came into the picture."

"I am aware of that."

"So why sit with me? Do you really crave my company?'

"I wish to talk to you."

"What about?" she asked harshly.

"This." he indicated the rest of the tavern and her drink. "I want to warn you."

"Warn me? Why? Is it illegal?"

"No, it is not. But it is not wise." he was aware that Iris would explode very soon and they would say to each other things that they would later regret, at least he would. So be it.

"Wise..." she shrugged " was it wise of you to announce to everybody that you had stolen Barnabas from me?"

"I did not steal..." he stopped. This was not the way that the conversation should go. He could counter her accusations with the evidences she had given that she did not want Barnabas around anymore, but that would only waste time and make her even more unwilling to listen. "You should not spend your evenings drinking here. I do not mean once or twice, but regularly as you do. And sometimes you bring someone home with you."

"I don't take them home." she said angrily. "I might go to the motel, yes, but not under my roof, where Peter can see us."

"But you should not be doing it at all."

"Why not?"

"Because there are better ways of dealing with your guilt."

"What guilt? What do I have to be guilty about?"

"Violet."

The word was said softly, yet it resonated on the walls and reached through them, freezing Iris' bones. George wished he had not said it, and yet...

She recovered and stared at him venomously. "If there is guilt, you bear it. You are the one who refused to help me against Delia. You should have, but did not. Had you helped and stopped them in time, Violet would not have ended up in Wyncliffe, and she would still be alive."

"I am aware of that."

"And you want to feel better about it by telling me that I drink too much and that I sleep around too much?"

"You might not like it, but it is the truth."

"Don't try to sound like Barnabas. He's bad enough all by himself. You do it too, and I'll hit you, even if it means assaulting an officer of the law."

"I believe that you have a problem and that I can help you."

"And why should I want your help? To make yourself feel better?"

"To make yourself feel better."

"And ho says that I don't feel all right?"

"The way you carry on."

"You mean sleeping around? Your friend Megan does the same, and you don't go offering her advice."

"She has to do it. She would like to be free of the need. She would like one day not to have to plan a whole evening around it."

Iris shrugged.

"You do not choose to sleep around. You have to You are robbing yourself of so many things that you could do instead, of so many opportunities, because you never have the time to do them. Because you have to come here, night after night, and look for another body that will help you forget Violet for a while."

Iris went white. "Don't use her name. You have no right. And anyway, she got what she deserved. She did try to kill me, didn't she? Not once, but twice. Why should I feel guilty about her?"

"I don't know why, but you do."

Iris shrugged. "Sleeping with Barnabas does an effect on you. You now believe you are a psychologist, like him."

"He is right, most of the time."

"You have no degree. You are not licensed to practice in this state, so would you mind shutting up?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The ballroom glistened, with the flames from the candles reflecting on the metal and crystal of the chandeliers and on the mirrors. The dancers swirled and this time there was one more couple with them. There was no way to tell them apart from the others, but where once there had been seven couples there were now eight.

And the ballroom seemed to be closer to him. Peter could not touch it yet, but he could listen to the music.

And the music seemed to speak to him, to request a service from him, so that he would find his rightful place at the end.

The night wind blew the gossamer curtains and for a moment they hid the dancers, leaving only their slightly distorted shadows to be seen.

He had to do something for them, had to prove his worth to them.

He reached for the egg and opened it, with eight couples now, dancing where seven had been.

"You have the power to bring people to us." Peter heard "Let us use your power to end our exile."

* * *

Phillip stared at the blackboard with yearning eyes. Vicky had left, too emotionally drained to be able to continue.

She would come tomorrow, when she was properly rested, and had taken care of all her other business.

George waked in and studied the creature in the tank. Phillip's face had trouble showing expression, yet there was something that looked like interest in that face. Maybe, just maybe, they were getting through to him.

He shook his head. He still could not understand how such a thing could happen, much less how it could be reversed.. Julia was guardedly optimistic, but Julia's enthusiasm at what seemed to her a new challenge could be clouding her judgment.

He wondered again if Vicky was right, if she was a jinx that brought disaster to her men. Maybe they should look into it...

He wished that Megan and Angelique were there. Between the two of them they might find the answers much faster than this. But they were not, and he had to make the best of it.

He moved next to the blackboard, and Phillip followed his movements with his eyes.

What the Hell, why not give it another try?

He wrote Phillip's name in capitals. Phillip seemed to react to this.

He wrote it again. And Phillip moved towards him, as far as he could before the glass stopped him.

Again, and Phillip stood rigid, its eyes bulging, its mouth open as if he were trying to speak.

This what Julia had said it would happen. Sooner or later he'd give a sign that he recognized his own name.

And Julia had said what to do next. There was an underwater writing slate with marker attached. He hoped that Phillip would recognize it for what it was and not try to eat it or use it to bang on the glass. He threw it into the water.

Phillip grabbed it and looked at it, as if not sure of what to do with it. George began making writing gestures to see if Phillip would get the idea.

Phillip did. He took the marker and began writing. He showed it to George.

PHILLIP PHILLIP PHILLIP it said and at the bottom WHO.

George wrote on the blackboard PHILLIP YOU

PHILLIP YOU Phillip wrote PHILLIP YOU

George shook his head.

NO. PHILLIP YOU.

But that might not be clear enough for poor Phillip. He tried a different tack.

PHILLIP IN WATER. I GEORGE

Phillip stared at the blackboard for a while, then he wrote again.

PHILLIP I

YES

PHILLIP I PHILLIP I PHILLIP I

I GEORGE

YOU SHERIFF

George stared. Phillip was remembering fast.

Then Phillip wrote again.

WHERE VICKY?

VICKY TIRED SLEEPING

VICKY VICKY WANT VICKY

VICKY LATER

VICKY NOW VICKY NOW

VICKY LATER

VICKY VICKY ME PHILLIP SHE VICKY VICKY WIFE

YES VICKY WIFE

WHAT \WIFE IS?

LATER

NOW NOW VICKY YOU NOT VICKY.

George decided that it was time that Julia and Barnabas learned of this.

* * *

That dumb interfering cop. What right did he have to interfere or criticize? he had got Barnabas, wasn't that enough? Did he need to comment on her and Violet?

Guilty about Violet? That was a laugh. What was there to feel guilty about?

She went over the liquor cabinet and poured herself a drink.

Silently, she toasted Violet who had got what she deserved, no more, no less.

Why should she feel guilty at all? She downed the drink and put the glass on the counter. No, she did not fee any guilt, none at all. It was not her fault. How could it be her fault? It was all Violet's doing.

So typical of Violet. Blaming others for the trouble that she had gotten into. Well, she was not going to play that game anymore.

* * *

"So he's remembering at last." Julia said.

"Yes. Just as you said it would happen. He did react for days, and suddenly he seems to know all these words."

"Yes. He knows their meanings. He has not lost the memories. It is just that they are in a part of his brain that he cannot access easily."

"It will be good for Vicky to know this. She was quite discouraged when she left today."

"Yes. It will be good. But we will not let her be the only one to communicate with him. He ahs to recognize the rest of us, too. "

"I think that Barnabas is doing that already."

Indeed, at that moment Phillip and Barnabas were in the middle of an animated conversation.

YOU BARNABAS Phillip wrote.

GOOD Barnabas wrote back HELLO PHILLIP

HELLO BARNABAS

Barnabas grinned. Phillip had learned quite a bit.

YOU VAMPIRE

Barnabas winced, but recalled that Phillip was remembering bit by bit. This was part of the memories coming back.

WHAT VAMPIRE IS?

It was a too long an explanation for the blackboard.

YOU KNOW

YOU FRIEND

YES

WHERE IS VICKY?

SHE'LL COME LATER.

WHAT LATER IS?

NOT NOW

WHY NOT NOW?

LATER MEANS NOT NOW.

WHY VICKY NOT NOW?

IT CANNOT BE.

WHAT CANNOT IS?

YOU KNOW.

PHILLIP NOT KNOW. PHILLIP NOT KNOW WHAT KNOW IS.

PHILLIP KNOW

PHILLIP KNOW NOT!

It was three exclamation points. Phillip was beginning to remember punctuation.

PHILLIP KNOW PHILLIP MUST REMEMBER

I WANT VICKY I WANT VICKY NOW! NOT LATER

GOOD YOU KNOW WHAT LATER IS

I KNOW WHAT CANNOT IS I KNOW WHAT FRIEND IS I KNOW WHAT WIFE IS I KNOW WHAT VAMPIRE IS

GOOD YOU REMEMBER NOW

WHAT REMEMBER NOW

WHAT REMEMBER IS?

SAME THING AS KNOW

WHY TWO WORDS?

It was fascinating the way was remembering things all of a sudden. Now he knew numbers.

REMEMBERS MEANS THAT YOU KNEW IT BEFORE

WHAT BEFORE IS?

BEFORE IS NOT NOW NOT LIKE LATER BEFORE MEANS DONE LATER MEANS TO DO

Phillip studied this, then wrote back.

LATER MEANS TOMORROW NOW MEANS TODAY BEFORE MEANS YESTERDAY

VERY GOOD PHILLIP

WHAT VERY IS?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Amy had changed in the time she had been away. It was impossible now to think of her as "little Amy" as they once did.

"I guess that studying and working have had an effect on me." she commented.

"It usually does." Barnabas said. "It helped Urien, too."

"Urien? Yes, of course, you told me about him."

"My son." Barnabas said, with quiet pride.

"You adopted him? News seem to travel slowly in Florida."

"Yes. I adopted him"

"Chris made some comments..." she shrugged "but never mind. You know him. He would do anything for you and Julia, but still he likes to gossip. Same with Oriana."

"How are the two of them doing?"

"Quite well. They too have adopted. Three kids. Two brothers and a sister... As a sibling group, they might have been split up to boost their chances of adoption, but now they are together, the three of them. The brothers are twins, and the girl is quite younger than them...Same as it was for us... In any case, now that Chris has children to be responsible for, he does not need to take care of his little sister, who is not so little anymore, and she can go live like an adult."

"I think it was about time you did."

"Yes. What is this problem that you asked me to help? George told me over the phone, but I am not sure that I got it right. He said that Phillip had come back, but that he had changed, somehow."

"That's right. He has been turned into some kind of man-fish. We have no idea how he got that way, much less how to reverse it. I will show him to you later on."

* * *

Patterson pondered. No need to stay in town any longer. He had gotten what he wanted, and even if Derek had gotten the egg, he still had enough. The egg was only a toy, let him keep it. As for himself, he just wanted to get out of town fast. He did not care to be brushing shoulders with Brant any longer.

On the other hand, if he chose to make trouble for Brant, he could find a way to make plenty of it. After all, he could not stand there and watch the office that he had once held with honor (and how little the people deserved it) turn into a gay joint.

There was a twinkling behind him, but he did not pay attention. He began to pack his bags.

"You will not need your bags where you are leaving to."

"Huh?" he turned in surprise. There was a woman there. A tall, blonde, thin woman with a silvery gown that reached the floor, and a silvery transparent veil over her hair.

"How you got here? Did he send you?" He looked at her severely. So this was what Brant had brought the town to. "In my days the hotel would not have dared to supply hookers."

"You area leaving with me. We have a need of such as you."

There was something about her. Something that scared him. He tried to turn, to get his bag.

He found that he could not. There was a silvery shower falling over him, over the room... and he was dizzy...

The silver dust kept falling. Patterson and the woman vanished. So did Patterson's bag. More dust fell and then it stopped. Then the fallen dust melted and was gone.

* * *

PHILLIP YOU PHILLIP

YES I PHILLIP

PHILLIP WHAT HAPPENED?

WHAT YOU MEAN?

PHILLIP FISH PHILLIP NOT FISH BEFORE WHEN CHANGE?

Phillip did not answer. It was difficult to tell, but he seemed puzzled. He stared at the words that George had written on the blackboard as if he had never seen them before.

It was not going smoothly, George suspected. They had broken through, yes, but that did not mean that it would go on without difficulty from then on.

Then Phillip began to write

A MAN I MET A MAN

Hey, Phillip had gotten it!

DID THE MAN DO THIS TO YOU?

A MAN HE DID SOMETHING

WHAT DID HE DO?

DON'T KNOW DID SAID SOMETHING

WHO WAS HE?

DON'T KNOW

WHAT DID HE LOOK LIKE?

DON'T KNOW

Well, another blank wall. Yet it was going fast, real fast. But what about the mysterious warlock who had done this to Phillip? He might be back to keep the spell on. Or the spell was part of a revenge plan against Barnabas as Munsungan had said. In any case, they better figure out who he was, and how to stop him.

But if he was captured, he could tell them how to undo the spell...

Again he wished that Angelique was with them. It would make all the difference if there was a warlock to fight.

But Angelique was not available yet. She might, in a week or two, but not yet.

Amy and Barnabas watched this performance fascinated. Amy shivered. And she almost giggled, too. It was horrible, yet it was funny too. Out of consideration for Barnabas she did not say "gag me with a spoon." but that was the appropriate response.

"It is unbelievable" she said, choosing the safer way "How could he become so?"

"That's what we need your help for"

Amy sighed. "I'll try, but I told George that I am a bit rusty. And even at my best there are things that I cannot do."

"Same as the rest of us, them."

* * *

Nobody recognized him when he walked into Collinsport. He grinned. He remembered well how it had been in the past. Heads turned whenever he came into town There was a big story attached to him. Looked upon both with envy and disapproval.

But now there were other tales to tell in Collinsport. Wonderful town.. There were always tales to tell in Collinsport and he was very old news. He had finally figured out about Barnabas. Not too difficult once you knew what to look for. Only now everyone in town knew it. And worse. The vampire was a faggot, too. And with the sheriff, no less.

Just what was the world coming to?

One thing was clear. The vampire was no longer his rival. He could then be ignored.

But Phillip Todd had stolen what was his, and he deserved what he got. Anyone who interfered with that would pay for it.

He knew what they were doing. They had found Phillip and were wondering how such a thing could have happened. And what could be done about it. Nothing, if they were wise. They should let him go back to sea and let the sharks have a meal if they wanted it to end. Phillip Todd would never recover his human form.

He entered the inn and sat at the restaurant. He ordered the seafood platter. He studied the waitress. She reminded him of Alma. He had known Alma years ago. Maybe this was Alma's daughter. A long time had passed since he had been here last.

"Anything else?" Elsa asked him.

"Just a Coke. Say are you related to Alma Bates?"

"My mother's maiden name was Bates. Why, do you know her?"

"Years ago... I was in this town, then. I wonder if your mother will remember me."

There was an aura about her. He asked her what her name was. Elsa Quarles. So Alma had married the Quarles boy, after all. He was not surprised... And this one girl...

He mentioned Barnabas' name to see how she reacted. And he was right. This girl had a crush on him. Unrequited of course. Barnabas did not seem to have an interest on kids...

She was ready for a lover such as he. A mysterious, dark, brooding man, with a dark secret, with deep unspoken needs. And one who would not act paternal towards her.

"Elsa" he said seductively "Will you show me around Collinsport?" he put his hand on hers, ever so lightly, but allowing the transfer of power. Just enough to bind her to himself.

"I will be glad to."

* * *

It was no use, Amy thought. She would lay the cards as carefully as she could, a pattern would begin to emerge, and then it would vanish.

Maybe she was too upset over what she had seen. Too anxious to get results, forgetting that this could not be rushed.

Amy decided to go to bed. Maybe she should sleep on it. By tomorrow it would all be clear.

* * *

Elsa lay on rumpled sheets, not sure of what had happened, whether she wanted this or not.

He stood over her, caressing her shoulders.

"My love" she said, and looked at him with sad, mournful eyes. He looked at her with eyes that seemed to go through her and leave nothing unseen.

She shivered. Not from fear or cold. That was what she had expected from Barnabas, what Barnabas had never given her.

"I love you." she said. :"what is your name?"

"No questions." he put a finger to her lips. Then he seized her and kissed her violently on the throat, just as Barnabas would have done. There were no fangs in this kiss, but it was rough and passionate as she always dreamed it would be.

"You will do what I ask of you." he said "without questions."

She did not answer.

He kissed her on the throat, even more violently. And this time, when he repeated the question, she answered yes.

* * *

In her bed Amy saw the shapes changing inside her mind. The images formed and unformed themselves, before she could make out what they were. Sometimes she saw Tom, laughing at her, the way he had done that time at the Old House. And sometimes it was Phillip, first as a man, and then as a fish. Then Tom's face changed. She did not know the man, but she knew that this was the one they had to fear.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"So Patterson ran away" said Barnabas while stroking the gray cat, who was unwilling to relinquish his seat to him.

"Yes. I would call that evidence of guilt" George answered.

"I bet that Derek was unhappy about it."

"Yes, he was. After all, he was the one who was nuts about that egg."

"And you? You feel bitter?"

"Why? Because Patterson stooped down to theft? No, not anymore. I had given up on him. I will put an APB on him, but I wonder if it will do any good. Unless we get him with the egg, and then he can get a lawyer and say that the egg is his share..."

"Better forget it, then?"

"We have other things to worry about. Sebastian Shaw is down with some kind of a flu, and as he says,, when his nose is stopped, he cannot think and his psi senses are dull at best. Amy is still not up to her best game, and there is not much that Phillip can tell us."

"Well, Shaw is bound to get better, and Amy will get back in shape. Also, if Munsungan is right, whoever did this is coming. We can capture him or her and get the counter spell.."

"And in a couple of weeks we can contact Angelique, too. The important thing is that Phillip is no longer dying, and that he is getting his memory back. It is now a question of time."

Barnabas nodded, but his mind returned to that missing egg. "Tell me is it possible that Derek killed Patterson so as not to have to share the treasure? He takes the egg, has Patterson blamed and then..."

"You read too many murder mysteries. No, Derek can be a lot of things. But never a murderer."

* * *

She had had the dreams the night before and they were not meaningless. Amy knew how to tell one kind of dream from the other.

She should concentrate on the dream. Think of the face that she had seen in it; think of if as she made her spread. Maybe this would help get the answer.

She took the cards, and, forcing herself to remain calm, to not dwell on the shock that the sight of Phillip had caused her, she began to form the pattern.

There was a new card. A page. A young girl. There was a King, which had been in the distant past, but now was closer. And a Queen, crowing int.

Then the Moon card. The Moon, with the shellfish at the bottom. It evidently represented Phillip's metamorphosis. And the King was close enough..

Was the King the warlock who had cast the spell? And the page? Who was this new player in the game?

Pips of cups and swords. Love and hate...

The judgment. The dead rising from the graves. Would Phillip be raised from his fish state, then? Or maybe it could signify Barnabas' vampirism.. Or another vampire moving into town...

The Queen of Cups It_ was_ an influence on Phillip. And the King of Clubs cast his shadow across them. The Queen of Cups had to be Vicky...

The Ace of Swords.

Victory. Or Death. Violent death for one of the players. For Phillip? For Vicky? For the warlock? For the new girl in the game? One of them would die when the game was played out.

The King of Swords. A benign influence, even if a terrifying one. Barnabas... Maybe it would be the King of Swords who would die, not the King of Clubs. But no, Ace of Swords. King of Swords. The King of Swords would execute the judgment... there would be a judgment...

The Devil. A dark and strange power which held them all on their grip. A sign that the struggle would be hard and costly.

Another pip. Sword. Another. Club. Hatred and strength. The Strength of Hate. Or Strength against Hate"? Both?

And one last card. The Ace of cups, promising hope. Not the World, promising success, nor the Tower, promising defeat, but a single cup, promising hope.

And she knew what she had to do. She had to identify the King of Clubs. Find a name with the face she had seen in her dreams.

* * *

Peter opened the egg. It had changed again. There was another figure. Not a dancer, but a servant, in livery. It seemed to be an old man, not young and handsome as all the others were.

It reminded Peter of someone, someone that he had seen. Someone that he had not liked and whom he had wished gone...

Then he understood. It was in his power to let the dancers bring the people they needed to serve them. It was through his eyes, through his wishes that it was done.

And he would serve the egg, faithfully, for then he would be allowed to dance in the ballroom with all the others...

* * *

Amy described as best she could the face that she had seen. Barnabas and Julia interrupted her with questions every now and then, as if they somehow recognized the man's description. Then Barnabas did seem to remember something. He went to a collection of old papers and found an old photograph that had found a home there for some obscure reason.

"Is this the man?' he asked.

"Yes."

"It is Burke Devlin, then."

"It cannot be!" Julia said.

"Stranger things have happened around here." Barnabas answered.

"Who is Burke Devlin?"

"Vicky's fiancé before she went into he past. He died in a plane accident. Only it seems he didn't die at all.. And that would give him a motive to hurt Phillip. He must want Vicky back."

"But Burke was not malicious. And even so, he did not have any powers that would allow him to do such a thing!"

"It has been years since then. We do not know what happened to him after the accident, nor how he must have changed."

"Are you sure that it is him?" Julia asked, still reluctant to believe it. For some reason she did not want to think of Burke as an enemy.

"It is him." Amy said with quiet pride, having solved the riddle.

"No way that you could be wrong?"

"None. I had not seen the face before my dreams. And when I did the spread, thinking of the face, I saw the King of Clubs coming closer."

Julia grumbled. She did not like this at all. Burke Devlin should remain dead. 1967 was over, it should remain so.

* * *

"You will do as I say. You will go to this woman and give her my message."

"Why? What is she to you?" Elsa tried to protest.

Burke caught her. "You will do as I say." he caressed her throat, putting just enough pressure so as to create a mixture of excitement and fear. "My ways are not to be questioned."

"But.." she began to protest.

He fell on her, his fingers tightening around her throat, while he took her roughly, until she cried.

"Never question me again." he said when he was done. "You promised to obey. Do so."

Elsa did not answer. She still shook from what Burke had done to her body. Burke saw this and caressed her tenderly until she was calm.

"I love you." she said numbly.

"I know you do. And I know that you will do as you are told."

He helped her to her feet and rearranged her clothes. She looked at him with fear. Something in her told her that it was not how this should be.

"I will go to Vicky now." she said.

* * *

BARNABAS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME?

It was the first grammatically correct sentence that Phillip wrote. And one that he could not answer yet. If Amy was right, Burke Devlin had done it. But why him? Why things kept happening to Phillip? Would it ever end this persecution?

Barnabas put his palm flat against the glass of the tank. Phillip put his own on the other side, palm to palm. The only handshake that they could have.

He had never meant for harm to come to Phillip. He had tried to avert it, but in the end he might as well have done nothing.

He knew that he was weeping. He could not tell if Phillip was doing it or not, if fish could weep at all.

Could the spell be undone and Phillip freed from his fish body? There must be a way.

Phillip took the slate again.

HAS VICKY SEEN ME LIKE THIS?

Barnabas nodded.

HOW COULD YOU? NOT LIKE THIS.

SHE WANTED TO SEE YOU. AND SHE WAS HELPING YOU. YOU HAVE A SON NOW. SHE WANTS YOU TO SEE HIM.

SON?

YES. PHILLIP BARNABAS TODD.

Phillip did not write again. He stared at the blackboard, trying to make sense of it. He was a father... Yes, just before it happened he had found out that Vicky was pregnant. It was because of that that he had been desperate enough to... It had been stupid, yes...

A son, yes. He had a son. And he would now come and see his father in the fish tank, like the sharks at the Sea World.

DON'T LET MY SON SEE ME LIKE THIS.

HE IS YOUR SON. YOU HAVE TO SEE HIM.

NOT LIKE THIS. I WILL NOT GIVE MY SON NIGHTMARES.

YOU HAVE TO SEE HIM. HE'S OVER ONE YEAR OLD.

HE'S TOO YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND. HE WILL NOT FIND OUT THAT HIS FATHER IS A FISH.

He was now writing frantically, finding how small the slate was for what he wanted to say.

PHILLIP YOU WILL NOT REMAIN LIKE THIS. WE WILL GET YOU RIGHT AGAIN.

WHEN I AM RIGHT AGAIN I WILL SEE MY SON NOT BEFORE

HE HAS TO KNOW THAT HE HAS A FATHER

A FATHER NOT A FREAK IN A FISH TANK

YOU ARE NOT

I AM FACE FACTS

YOU HAVE TO SEE YOUR SON

I WON'T


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Iris looked at Peter, sleeping in his bed.

Something gnawed at her. She should not feel guilty. She was doing the best she could for the child. She kept her... swinging away from him. She cared for him. She tried to provide him with help. It was not her fault that Yolanda had deceived her... Yolanda had deceived everybody.

Yet something was missing.

Was it Peter's schoolwork? No, it was not. It was improving. His social development? It was slow, but that too was getting better. Not as fast as she would like, but better, all the same. She would like him to confide in her, but it was hard for him to trust adults, and with the ones he'd had to deal with, who'd blame him?

Yet...

Yet what? What possibly could be going wrong?

Damn George Brant, all this talk about her guilt feelings Violet. She did not feel guilty about Violet. As for Brant, just because he did it with Barnabas, he was not entitled to be the same kind of pest that Barnabas was. One psychobabble sputterer was enough for the whole town. He should concentrate on his own problems, and he was going to have plenty in the next election. Then, when he was too busy trying to hold on to his badge, he'd be too busy to psychoanalyze anyone.

Somebody had to take care of Peter, and she was doing it. What more could they ask for? She could not work miracles.

Peter's toys lay on the floor. She tried to tell him to put them away, but Peter did not always listen.

There was a shiny thing on the floor. She picked it up, wondering where it had come from.

She held her breath. Was it really at toy? Those stones looked real.

... What about the egg that was missing?

The Faberge egg that had been in the treasure...

How had Peter gotten it?

She should show this to Brant... but.. would it be bad for Peter?

No, for all of his annoying habits, Brant was as determined to protect Peter as she was herself. She should talk to him. Very likely the stones were paste, and it was just a toy. But still it was safer to let him see it...

A man stood in front of her. All dressed in a formal outfit, such as were worn in the last century. And a woman was with him, in a long, silvery gown.

"Do not call him." the man said. "Forget this. Go to bed."

She was paralyzed. She wanted to scream at them, ask them what they were doing in her house. But she could not. A silvery dust was falling over her. Slowly she went to her bed and laid down. More dust fell on her and she became sleepy.

"Forget us. Forget the egg. And take care of the child as we need him."

Slowly she sank into sleep. The man picked up the egg and laid it down next to Peter, then taking the woman by the hand, he stepped into it and vanished.

* * *

"Burke Devlin" Julia studied the old photo. Why had Barnabas kept it? A memory of a man who he had once hated and plotted to kill? A man that he had not murdered and now regretted sparing?

It had been a while since those days. Burke and Barnabas had both changed...

How much had Burke changed? Enough to allow him to come to Collinsport and not be recognized?

A few more years. A good tan. Using a different name. A town full of more recent scandals... he might pull it off. After all, everyone believed him dead. They were not expecting to see him again.

And where was he now? If she were to circulate then photo around, would anyone identify it?

And once they found him what? Anybody who could that to Phillip had to be handled very carefully.

In 1967 she had counted on Burke to save Vicky from Barnabas (and Barnabas from Vicky, leaving him for herself). Now Barnabas had to save Vicky from Burke.

It changed, but it was the same...

* * *

Adam kissed Carolyn "Are you sure that you won't regret it?"

"Marrying you? I won't"

"Even if it means that you will no longer be Carolyn Collins?"

"I stopped caring about that. I had a lot of growing up to do, but I did. Being Mrs. Deale Atwater is good enough for me."

Roger watched this with disgust. To have to see Carolyn like this, throwing herself at a man who did not deserve her. Ha had to save her, and Edmund too. No time for accidents. He'd better do it quickly. Carolyn would thank him one day.

There were antique pistols at Collinwood. They were not loaded, but homemade gunpowder and rusty nails instead of bullets could do the job as well. Were these the same guns used in the duel between Barnabas and Jeremiah? The one with which Barnabas had shot Angelique?

He would make ready. An then he would take Adam on a walk and do what must be done.

* * *

Peter saw Zeb King and his wife form a distance. He remembered them well. They had promised to care for him, they had brought Yolanda, who also promised the same.

Then they were all three gone. They had abandoned him.

He felt anger at them. He could not put it into words, but the anger was eating at him.

He wanted to make them sorry.

Because it was all their fault.

He had the power to take them away. Wasn't that what he had learned? That he could take people and make them go inside the egg? That he was expected to do so, and would be rewarded for it?

He wanted Zeb and Jessica to go inside the egg.

* * *

"Why that abandoned cottage?" Vicky asked Elsa.

"She's too scared to come out. She is hungry... "

"Can you go to the sheriff?"

"She is afraid of uniforms" Elsa said. "She said no cops! I thought of you. You can calm her, get her to tell you her story..."

Vicky hesitated.

"She has a little child with him. She is bruised... So is the child."

Probably an abused wife who was sure that the cops would return her to her husband... as too many cops did...

Yes, it was better that she went take a look.

She would leave Little Phillip with the Loomises and go with Elsa, some food, and some blankets...

* * *

Zeb and Jessica got into the car.

"It was a good movie, don't you think?"

"Not as good as it might have been." Jessica said. "But still, it opens the way for better movies on the subject. You could call it 'Gandhi 101', with more advanced courses coming later, if only there more filmmakers willing to try. At least they have proven that you can make money out of a movie about Gandhi.

There was something falling on the windshield. Not rain. It was more like dust. A silvery dust. And they began hearing a buzzing sound.

"Listen" Zeb said. "What is it?"

"I don't know. You hear it too?"

"Yes. It could be the car."

He pressed on the brakes. But the car would not stop. And suddenly he was paralyzed and more dust fell on them. It now covered the windshield so that they could no longer see where they were going. Then a wind came and lifted their car off the ground.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Burke smiled as Elsa opened the door for Vicky, who was carrying the food and blankets for the supposed frightened woman hiding in the cottage.

No sooner had Vicky come in, that he closed the door behind her and faced her.

"Hello, Vicky." he said.

Vicky stared at him.

"Yes, it is me. I have come back."

"Burke you..."

"Yes. I did not die in that plane crash. Never was in that flight. I had advance warning."

"But... but why didn't 't you let me know?"

"There was a price for that warning. And I could not leave. But I am free now. And I have come for you."

He came close to her.

"I came back for you. Let's forget that we were ever apart."

"I am married, now. I am sorry, Burke."

"Married? to that fish? You need a real man."

Vicky looked at him with horror. "You did it! You turned Phillip into that.. that creature."

"He deserved it. He took what was mine." He took her in his arms and kissed her.

"No!" she struggled "You cannot do this! You did this to Phillip!"

'He does not matter. He should not have you. You are mine. Once you wanted to marry me. Do you remember how it was? How could you forget so easily?"

'"Let me go! You are not Burke! You are not the Burke I loved! You are worse than Barnabas ever was!"

"Barnabas Collins is a vampire. He's over two hundred years old. He was the one who kidnapped Maggie and caused all that misery."

"I know all that! And you are much worse! What did you do to Phillip?"

"Forget Phillip! Remember what we used to have. You can't have forgotten it. You can't"

Vicky kicked him and ran.

Elsa ran after her and caught her. She kicked "Elsa, too. Then Burke grabbed her had pushed her to a chair.

"Give me a rope." he told Elsa.

Vicky fought but between him and Elsa she was bound to the chair.

"I would rather not do it." he said. "I'd rather you came willingly."

* * *

Zeb stared numbly. They were in a dark forest, the car having disintegrated as soon as it touched the ground. the forest was darker and heavier than any forest he had seen (and the woods around Collinsport were pretty dark). And it was different in other ways that he could not tell.

He got hold of Jessica, who was behind him. He wanted to stay there a bit longer, just to make sure of where he was, but he felt a compulsion to go forward in only one direction. And Jessica felt it too.

The feeble moonlight that managed to penetrate through the foliage let them see only a few feet ahead. Just enough not to stumble, not to find out where they were forced to go.

The trees... Could it be that they were made of gold? He extended his hand to test one of them. He snapped a branch.

It was gold. and the leaves were carved jade. And the flowers were pearls for the unopened buds, rubies for the opened ones...

And before he finished studying the branch, a bird swooped down and tore it from his grasp, flying upwards with it.

"Don't touch the wood." A voice out of nowhere warned them.

"Who? What are you? Where are you?"

No answer. The woods were silent once again. They kept walking.

Then, at the last bend of the path, the castle rose in front of them.

"Like a fairy tale." Jessica said in a whisper.

"Welcome to Vassily's castle" the voice said. "We have waited for you."

* * *

"Barnabas, is Vicky with you and Phillip?" Louella asked on the phone.

"No. She's not. She will be coming later."

"But... she left earlier this afternoon. I thought she'd go to you. One of her students called that she was not there. I thought that she had stayed with Phillip and forgot about it."

"She never came here. We did not expect her until later." Barnabas' heart began to sink. Vicky had disappeared. Burke was moving fast, too fast for them.

"Is little Phillip with you?"

"Yes."

"Keep him safe. Do not allow anyone but me or George near him."

'You mean...?"

"Whoever did this to Phillip is after Vicky too. We can't afford to let him to have the child too."

* * *

Urien felt a bit abashed. Barnabas had so much to worry about, and there he was, going out for fun.

He had not planned it that way. It had just happened. He had not gone out with the idea that he was going to have sex, but that was it.

But then, Barnabas did not expect him not to have a sex life...

Of course, Barnabas would like him to go out with girls, which was strange, considering his relationship with George..

He knew the reason. Barnabas did not want it to do it for money, just as he had once done.

It had not been that way, but try to tell Barnabas that...'

'

He figured that he would have a better chance if he talked to George instead. George was less likely to have a fit about these things.

* * *

He had the gunpowder, and the rusty nails. Getting the gunpowder inside the gun was a long, messy process. He wondered how his ancestors managed to do it, without setting fire to the whole place or other disasters.

But the important part was the he was ready. He could go now seek Adam and kill him, as he had meant to do.

Adam was strolling in the garden. Even if it was dark, there was plenty of light from the lanterns, and he enjoyed what could be seen.

But what he could not see was Roger, creeping behind him, the gun in his hand. It was only when Roger was upon him that Adam saw him.

"Get up" Roger said coldly.

"What?"

"Don't say anything. Just get up an let's go for a walk." he pointed the gun at him "Don't make me shoot you. I will shoot you. The pistol does work. It is the same one that Barnabas used to shoot Jeremiah."

'You want to kill me?"

"Not if you leave Collinsport and never return. But if you want to stay here and marry Carolyn, then you'll die. If you want to live, you'll take the first train out of Collinsport.

"You are crazy." Adam growled "Careful with that old thing. It might go off."

"You will never marry Carolyn. For your own good leave now."

"For God's sake, Roger, you are too old to be acting like this. Give me the gun and I will tell Carolyn nothing of this."

"It is your choice then." Roger stood back and aimed.

"Roger don't be a fool." Adam began to rise.

Roger pulled the trigger and the pistol exploded in his hand.

* * *

Vicky had stopped struggling. She knew that she could not slip out of Burke's knots, so she waited, watching worriedly at Elsa.

She had begged Elsa to let her go, but Elsa had only shrugged. She just stared at her with hate filled eyes.

Burke wanted Vicky, not herself, Elsa thought. Not matter what he did, it was Vicky that he wanted...

If Vicky was not around, then maybe Burke would turn to her. He would see how much she loved him, she would see how much she was willing to do for him.

Vicky did not want Burke. She did...

If Vicky was not around...

Vicky stared at her, startled at the malevolence in Elsa's eyes.

"If it wasn't for you, things would be easier for both of us. It is all your fault."

She had a knife. She brandished it and moved towards Vicky.

"Please..." Vicky begged "Don't Don't"

"Things will be all right again once you are out of the way."

Vicky screamed, knowing that on one would hear. No one would help her. She would die now.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Elsa advanced towards Vicky, her knife high. Vicky twisted in her bonds and screamed.

"It will do you no good." Elsa said "you are going to die."

"Elsa!"

Elsa turned. Burke was there, looking very angry.

"How dare you?" he slapped her "How dare you do this?"

"She's not good enough for you."

He slapped her again. "Don't you dare, don't you ever think of doing this again!"

Elsa whimpered, then she turned her back and ran.

"You are safe now." Burke told Vicky. "She will not try to harm you again." he stroked her chin. "You know, I would rather untie you, but you may try to escape."

"Why do you want me? I am older now. I have a child."

"A child." Burke's voice darkened. "Forget him. It is Phillip's child."

"It is my child!"

"Better for him that you forget him or I'll take revenge on him."

"No, Burke, don't" It... it is only a child."

"Forget him, then."

Vicky whimpered. Burke wondered whether he should not get hold of the child. Vicky would be forced to come with him if he had her child.

But to carry around Phillip's child, to tend to him, to allow him to steal Vicky's time, time that should be devoted to himself... No, he would not want that. But there were ways to use the child to put pressure on Vicky.

He went to the next room where Elsa was sobbing.

"I need you to run an errand for me."

"Go send Vicky" Elsa said venomously "she's the only one that you care about."

Burke slapped her, almost playfully.

She shook her head. "Why should I do anything for you? What have you ever done for me? You are not who I took you to be! I thought that you were like Barnabas, but you are not!"

This was more than simple disobedience. He was losing his control over her.

He threw her over the bed and began to reestablish it, the way he had done before. It was hard to keep his teeth from truly mangling her throat in anger. Had he real fangs, instead of normal teeth, it would have gone badly for her. As it was, she got badly bruised by it. She wept as he took her brutally, as he mangled her throat. But at the end she was in his power.

He got up again. "Now go and do this thing for me."

* * *

Burke Devlin _was_ in town. They had found several people who had met him, even if they had not recognized him at the time. They could trace his movements.

"Guess he did not die in that plane crash, after all." one of them commented.

"No, he didn't"

"Well, he seems to have taken a turn for the worse. "

One thing they heard that they did not like at all. He had been seen with Elsa Quarles. He had brought her as a date to the Blue Whale, and she had looked quite smitten with him.

If Burke had the power to do that to Phillip., he had the power to put Elsa under his control and they would have to fear her, too.

"Barnabas might have to bite Elsa, after all." George commented "It might be the only way to keep her out of it."

No one had seen Vicky. But they could tell where Burke had been seen lately.

"I think that it is time that we try someone who can see through wall. Too bad Sebastian is down with the flu."

* * *

"How could it have been an accident?" Carolyn asked "he did try to kill you, didn't he?"

Adam did not try to deny it. "He did not know what he was doing."

"Evidently. Playing around with that old pistol. I am sorry, Adam."

"Why? It was not your fault."

"I bribed the doctor at the clinic so that he was released. I should not have done it. I said to myself that it did not matter, that he behave calmly enough and that I could keep him under control."

"Carolyn, don't feel obliged to send him away for my sake."

"I will have to send him away. He's been in too many scrapes and I don't want to handle him anymore. Damn it, you'd think that at his age, he'd know better, but he doesn't"

"He was trying to protect you from me."

"Yeah... what did he load the pistol with? Rusty nails?""

"Yes."

She shook her head. "Why, oh why did I bribe Ross? Why didn't I listen to Sheriff Brant? I was a stubborn fool."

"You were doing your best."

"Sometimes your best is not good enough. I _will_ have to talk to him."

Roger was in pain from his wounded hand. Damn it, why did this have to happen? Should have checked the gun first.

Carolyn came in "You've really done it this time, uncle. You've really done it."

"You do not understand, Carolyn" Roger pleaded with her. "He's not good enough for you."

"So you were going to kill him, is that right? Like you killed that man years ago, so that Burke got blamed for it?"

"That was an accident."

"What happened how was not. And this is as much as I am going to take from you."

"Carolyn, you don't know him. He does not love you, anymore than Paul loved your mother. He's a fortune hunter."

"Let's not talk about my father, all right, Uncle? I have been very patient with you. I have turned a blind eye to your antics. But no more. Something needs to be done about you, and I will do it."

* * *

"Burke, what happened to you? We had thought you were dead. Where were you all those years?" Vicky asked, trying to find in Burke's words some handle that would convince him to let her go.

"I never took the plane. I was kidnapped. The man who kidnapped me was supposed to kill me, to satisfy the revenge of someone because of what happened in his village... Some savage or other who wanted to make trouble for the business I was working on. Well, he wanted revenge and he managed to get someone to do me in. And he might have, except that he knew certain things. He sensed that I had some power inside of me... seems that Laura had left something of herself in me. So he just sold me to this sorcerer. Yes. Sold. I became a slave to a sorcerer because there was power in me. The sorcerer also made a double to fly the plane and to attract the doom that was attached to me."

"And you could not let us know?"

"Didn't you listen? I was a slave. Do you think that slaves get to communicate with their loved ones? I had to serve this sorcerer, because I was a source of power for him. He was hard with me. But I learned from him. He did not realized how much I learned from him until I killed him." Burke smiled at the memory. "He did not realize what a good student I was..."

"And now you are free."

"Yes. I kept thinking of you, of Collinsport, of Barnabas. I realized what Barnabas was, and I despaired of saving you from him... Suppose I came back, and he had turned you into the same sort of monster that he is, and that you went for my throat? I did dream of that, often enough. I hated Barnabas with a passion. I wanted to come and hammer a stake through his heart. I came back to expose him, get revenge, get justice for all those he had hurt of killed... And what do I find?'

"Many things changed since then."

"You were married to a second rate musician, and completely forgot about me. Pregnant by that loser. How could you throw yourself on the likes of him?... If Barnabas had made you into a vampire, well, that was bad enough. But that he had gifted you to a flunky of his, because he was bored with you..."

"It was not like that."

"And that you were friendly with Barnabas, of all people. Do I have to tell you the things he did? Who do you think drove Maggie mad? Who abused Willie until he was scared of his own shadow, and then had his shoot and shipped to the nuthouse? Who killed Dave Woodard? How can you be friends with someone like him? How can you betray me so?"

"Barnabas is not like that..."

"He is a vampire, isn't he?"

"You do not understand what we have gone through here."

"You said that you'd never forgive whoever killed Woodard... Fickle, like all women... Well, I found the flunky and I too care of him.. He went away to swim in the deep blue sea."

"If I am fickle, if I am as you say, they I am not worthy of you. I am not worth the trouble. Might as well let me go."

Burke put her hand under her chin. "Oh, yes... You are not good enough for me. But you will be. I will make you forget your loser. I will make you forget Barnabas. You will love me again. Me and on one else."

"If I could only tell of the things that happened. If you could know of the Leviathan and what they did to all of us.."

"I imagine that you got a pretty tale to soften my heart. But I am done with pretty tales. You are mine, and non one takes what is mine."

"I cannot come with you. "

"You will, one way or the other."

The door opened and Elsa came in, clutching something to her breast.

"Were you seen?' Burke asked.

"No. I was not."

Burke took it and Vicky saw with horror that it was one of Little Phillip's rompers.

"What are you going to do with that?"

"In will use to teach you your place."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Burke, please don't that."

"Beg, Vicky. It will do you no good. Plenty of times I begged in the past. I begged Sam Evans to tell the truth at my trial. I begged to be let out of my cell. I was still locked up. I got to beg more in jail. I learned how useless begging is... I begged too the sorcerer who owned me to have pity... begging is useless, Vicky. So stop."

"My child has done you no harm!"

"He is the son of that loser. But no, I will not harm him if you are obedient and pleasing. Just do as I tell you, and no harm will come to your child."

"Burke, this is monstrous."

"It is the way of the world, pretty Vicky. I learned it early enough. Power is all that matters. When you have power, you can do what you want. When you do not, you beg, you ask for pity, or you try to be pleasing to the ones who have power. I have power and you have none. So, be pleasing to me."

Vicky looked at him with horror. "What has happened to your? You are not the Burke I knew..."

"You did not me know well." he put his hand on her throat. "I can make you obey. In the old days I would not have trouble. You wanted to obey me. You admired me for it. Now you are rebellious. You need to be taught your place. What! A foundling, a penniless orphan, who should be grateful that she is admitted to the house of the powerful, now, you walk as if you ran the place."

"You too were born in the wrong side of tracks. You fought against it, too."

"Yes. I was poor. Roger Collins condescended to me. And I had to smile and swallow it. But he did not deserve what he had. I did. It was a hard climb. Doc Woodard helped me. But he wanted a price for it. A price I managed not to pay. But others did...Because he had power, too, and used it. I thought that if I stuck to Roger that some of it would come that way. But that is now how it works. _they_ do not give up power, you have to seize it. And I did."

"As you seized your chance with Laura Collins?"

"Jealous, Vicky? I think that you still love me. I would like to untie you, so that we can enjoy our love. But I have to make sure of it first."

He lifted the romper in the air and spoke some words to it. Vicky screamed as she understood what he was doing.

"Your child is in a coma. Whether he wakes up or not is up to you. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Vicky nodded.

"Good." he untied her. "get up."

She did so.

"Go to the next room. Take of your clothes and kneel down. Wait till I join you."

Vicky tried to protest, but saw the rompers and bent her head. "Yes."

"Say yes, master."

"Yes... master."

Elsa looked front the corner, sobbing quietly. Burke did not love her... He only used her... And she could not fight him.

* * *

They were making plans when Howard Nelson came in.

"From what I head around I gather you need my help." Howard said., a bit smugly.

"You can't do much." Barnabas answered "we are dealing with a warlock."

"You need very much my help, if nothing else to keep from broadcasting your plans all around. just as you have been doing. I bet that Devlin, or whatever he calls himself, knows exactly what you want to do and is laying a trap that will spring the moment you set foot in the place he's in. He'll use Mrs. Todd as bait, and you'll go for it."

"You have no supernatural powers to defend yourself."

"So? I still know how to plan, how to properly mount an operation. You need a trained commando, which is what I am."

"Your experience is different from ours." George was reasonable "the people you used to deal with, no matter how vicious, were human, with human limitations. It is not the same with Devlin."

"You mean that because he has supernatural powers and I don't that I am helpless?"

"That's it."

Howard grinned, a wicked grin. "Same as with me and Barnabas here?"

"True."

"And the element of surprise counts for nothing." and while he still talked he delivered two sharp blows to Barnabas that make him lose footing, and then Howard stood over him, with the fingers of one hand poised to strike at Barnabas' eyes."

"That's impressive." George said. "But then Devlin will react. Barnabas can now dematerialize and you are left threatening the air."

"If this was Devlin I would not be threatening his eyes. I would already have struck them all the way to the brain.. I know how to kill quickly, without giving my opponent time to react. I might not kill Barnabas, but I can cripple him badly. And the same goes for Devlin. And then I only need to take him off balance so that Barnabas finishes him off."

Barnabas got up, shaken. He realized how efficient a killing machine Howard was.

"We cannot afford to kill Devlin." he said. :"he has to take the spell off Phillip Todd."

"Immobilize him. I know the way. We can drug him and while he is drugged we can ask him how to reverse the spell. In any case, I have a better chance to get close to Devlin than you do. He is very likely lying in wait for you. As for George, he is not only a cop, but by now, he knows how close you too are. No. only a farmer, out there selling eggs can avoid suspicion."

"We can't let you." Barnabas said "It is too risky."

"No more than for you."

"Phillip and Vicky are my friends."

"And I owe you my life. I can repay you by keeping your from walking into a trap. "

Barnabas was out of arguments. Howard wanted to be in it. And he was right. Megan had often enough told him that he could not manage things like that. Usually it was up to Megan, not him, to save the day. Megan was gone, because of Howard (or Richard, as he was called then). What could be more fitting that Howard took Megan's place?"

Yet he did not like it. Maybe it was his own wounded pride. He had been forced in the past to stand back and watch while Megan saved the day. He never had the chance to prove what he could do. And he not a complete klutz. There were things that he had managed in the past, even if no one recognized it.

Still, if they were going to rescue Vicky they would need all the help the could get, and Howard was the most qualified one they could get.

"All right." he agreed reluctantly. "You tell us how to do it?"

"It is going to take some planning. Have you any idea of where he might be?"

"We know that if we find Elsa we will find him. Amy is trying to locate him. And even Sebastian, sick as he is, is trying."

"Fine. Keep asking around. But if I read Burke right, he will leave a trail for you to follow. I think that he may be after you, as you are now protecting Phillip. And because of your past history... Well, where can he be holding Vicky? He must want some of the modern conveniences, so it won't be a cave. Not the hotel, and not a house with neighbors. I would look into the summer cottages.. You fly overhead and note if any chimney is giving off smoke.

/


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Burke, there is something I cannot understand." It cost Vicky to talk normally, in spite of her fear and outrage. Burke had raped her, and he called it love... Did he ever love her, or was she just a possession to him from the start.? Had there been anything good about him? But if she made him talk, he might uncover a weakness, a weakness that she would use to plunge a knife into him.

She wanted Burke dead, but she could not let him know it.

"What you don't understand?"

"Why would anyone want to kill you.? You said that someone paid your kidnapper to kill you, and he would have done."

"Yeah, some illiterate peasant from there. All going on about his village and his people. We offered to move them away, but they were too stubborn. They just held to the land. We thought that if we set fire to their place they would see reason. They had time to get away... If they were too stupid to run, what fault was it of mine? And why did they want their land? They did not know how to use it. While us, we were bringing progress to that godforsaken place. Why should a bunch of half starved illiterate peasants, barely a step above savages, hold up progress?'

"Progress and your profits?'

"It was the same thing."

"So that's how you made your fortune?"

"You were quite glad to let me treat you and buy you gifts, weren't you? You never asked where it came from."

"What was that place?"

"What do you care:?"

"What was that place?'"

"Oh, well, San Cristobal das Montes., I think it was. Not that it matters. They cannot come bother us."

He looked at her. Vicky looked down, but not quick enough. Burke could see her raw hatred in her eyes.

She might need some disciplining. he thought.

But not now. He had a trap to bait. Vicky would be the bait to catch Barnabas.

"Sit on the chair. he ordered her as he took the rope.

"Please let me get dressed."

"No. You will sit naked in it. I want Barnabas to see you like this. I want him to know that you are now my property."

She had to obey. He bound her tightly, twisting her hands painfully. :"this is punishment for your rebelliousness" he said when she protested. Then the knotted a cloth and pushed the knot roughly in her mouth pushing her tongue back, and then tied the ends around her head. "This way you cannot warn Barnabas about what I am about to do."

He got up and called Elsa, who came, pouting, but still came.

"I have a task for you, too."

Break

"Little Phillip is sick" Barnabas said grimly. "that's what Louella told me. He was doing all right, and then he started screaming, and then slipped into a coma."

'More of Burke's doings, I imagine. " Howard said. "Another reason to stop him. We finally know where he is. We now have to come with a sensible plan to get him."

"Are you sure that he is there?"

"As sure as I am of anything. All evidence points to this cottage. Now, as to how to approach..."

"I could turn into a bat and hide in the egg basket you carry."

"It is not a bad idea, but Burke is expecting you. He may put a barrier against that kind of thing. Make sure you can only come through one opening... You will have to be our bait. and talk to him. Stand on the threshold, don't go in. Just let him gloat and taunt you. And it is better if you are wired when you do. We need to know how it goes, and when it is the best time to move."

* * *

Peter looked at Roger as he moved across the street. Funny man, he thought... He would look funny with the dancers... He might make a fine jester... After all, didn't people laugh at him?

He wished for Roger to be gone into the egg.

* * *

Carolyn would do it this time. She would send him back to the clinic.

Roger knew that it was not really Carolyn, that it was Adam's idea. He was making her do it.

But it did not matter. He would have to go, as he had gone before, until Carolyn relented and bought his way out.

Maybe if he tried again to get rid of Adam... Once gone Carolyn would come back to her senses. She always did. And she would thank him for it.

But how could he kill Adam? He would be on his guard now, and it would not be easy this time to get his hands on a gun.

He would never let Adam put him away!

He did not notice the twinkling music behind him, nor the soft, silvery dust falling on him...

"So you are going to be our jester." the woman said.

"Huh?"

She was beautiful, in her long silvery gown. He had never seen anybody like her... She reminded him a bit of Laura...

"You will come with us."

"Hey! Who are you? What do you want?"

"Yes, you are the one."

More dust fell, and then his eyes began to lose focus and his balance seemed gone. He stumbled and fell, but his body never touched the ground...

From his window Peter watched this. He grinned as he saw how the silvery dust disappeared.

It was too early for it to show, but he knew that when he opened the egg tomorrow, the jester would be there.

* * *

"It will not be long now." Burke said. "they have figured out where I am, and they know that the child is sick. Barnabas is bound to barge in. And he will find out that I am ready for him.

Vicky despaired at his words. She knew how impulsive Barnabas was. As soon as he saw her as she was, naked and bound to a chair, he would come in, not caring who else was there, to free her. Burke knew Barnabas' weakness all too well.

Had there ever been anything good about Burke? The story he had told of how he had made his fortune had disabused her. He had been corrupt from the start, only she had chosen not to see it... a naive child, that's what she was, caught in the glamour of the Collins, and those who gravitated around them . And Burke gravitated towards them,...

Burke would kill Barnabas, she saw. And she could not change that.

Elsa whimpered as Burke gave her a task to do.

"You stand here, by her side. When he comes in, and goes to her, plunge this wooden knife into his heart. You will be invisible. . Strike at once. Even if you do not hit the heart, it will wound him, and I will finish him off."

Elsa whimpered again. She did not want Barnabas to die.. But she could no longer disobey Burke.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Barnabas wished that he was as confident as Howard was. He made it sound so simple as he explained it. And yet Burke was a warlock, or a sorcerer, whatever you called it. How could he be handled safely? He remembered the headaches that Petofi and Nicholas had caused. True, in the end they had been defeated, an Nicholas had sunk into alcoholism and self-destruction. But it had not been easy.

Well, they had no choice. He had the microphone taped to his chest, Howard was ready to intervene after Barnabas distracted Burke with his talk. And George was at his sniper post with the gas canister, to fire when he gave the signal..

* * *

Elsa held the knife close to her body. She knew what Burke wanted her to do. She had to plunge it into Barnabas's heard. The wood was a bit fragile, so that it would splinter inside him. Even if it did not pierce the heart, it would immobilize him for Burke to finish off.

She did not want to... Why hurt Barnabas of all people? She loved him. At least until Burke came...

And after Barnabas died, she would see Burke leave with Vicky, leaving her behind.

Because Burke had never loved her.

* * *

There was a thick mist of illusion settling on the house. Vicky found it hard to keep her eyes focused. She was not sure anymore what was real and what was not... She kept trying to scream, to warn Barnabas, even though she knew how useless it was to try.

Burke stood by the window, with a slight smile on his face. Every now and then he licked his lips in a predatory gesture. Elsa stood, the knife in her hand, hidden by Burke's illusion.

From the window Burke saw this man, a farmer, move purposefully across the field, as if he had some urgent business to attend

He looked at the sky. Barnabas would come as a bat, he knew.

And then the bat came across the sky. At a distance the farmer recoiled in horror. So, there were people here who were not happy with Barnabas at all. Good to know.

He moved next to Vicky. He had to make sure that Barnabas burst into the room. He put his hand on Vicky's breasts and played with them, knowing what effect that would have on Barnabas when he saw it.

The door flew open with violence.

"Let her go!" Barnabas shouted at Burke, taking care that he blocked the view of the supposed farmer.

"Let her go? Why? She is mine. Today our duel ends, and you lose, Barnabas Collins. You are now going to listen to me."

Barnabas smiled inwardly. So Burke wanted to brag. Let him. His job was to buy time.

"Even if I gave you a reason to hate me, Phillip never did."

"Phillip was your errand boy. That is enough for me to hate him. And he dared to put his hands on what is mine... he dared to touch Vicky... She was supposed to marry me!"

"She mourned you as dead. She hoped that you were found, but all the bodies in the plane were accounted for."

"She should have had more hope! But you made all her believe that I was dead, so that he would go to you."

"Well, she did no stay with me."

"Because you tired of her, so you gave her to your flunky, who is going to end up in Sea World."

Why didn't Barnabas enter the room? Why didn't he barge to free Vicky? He could see how tight her bonds was, he could see how she was displayed. Why had he not rushed to her side?

Because he was afraid of him.

Yes, he, Burke Devlin caused fear to that stinking bloodsucker, to that arrogant Collins... Arrogant like all his family. He liked that.

"Oh, I now what you are. You are that evil presence in Collinwood, weren't you? You were the one who attacked all those women and made them sick."

"Yes. it was me."

"You are the one who kidnapped Maggie Evans and drove her mad."

"Yes."

"Do you hear this, Vicky? He is a monster, not a man. He's evil. Do you still like him?" he then turned to Barnabas "What did you do to Maggie to drive her mad?"

"I did what in my madness thought was a sensible thing. That's the frightening thing about madness. No matter how outlandish, it always looks reasonable when you are doing it."

"So you were mad?"

"Yes."

"Were you mad too when you killed Doc Woodard?"

"Yes."

"So you confess to his killing? Listen well, Vicky. You said yourself that you would never forgive it. But you did, didn't you? "

"Do you want a written confession? Will you let her go if I do? Will you lift the spell off Phillip. Will you let the boy get well?"

"Oh, the boy can get well right now. It is enough that Vicky knows that I can do it if she is not obedient."

Vicky's eyes pointed at the right side of her. Barnabas saw. There was something there. That's where the trap was. Good to know.

"Will, you come in Barnabas?" Burke taunted him.

"So that we can discuss terms?

Howard now was close enough. He lounged a Barnabas, brandishing a cross.

"Begone, Satan's creature! Leave this man be! Do not soil this ground with your unholy presence!"

Barnabas howled and jumped away. It was good that his reaction to the cross was genuine to fool Burke.

"You have no idea what foul creature that one is!" Howard said, stepping in.

"Foul creature" that was George's cue. He pulled the trigger and the gas canister crashed through the window. The protection that Burke had put could stop vampires, but they had gambled that he did not protect himself against projectiles Burke had remembered, and the canister rebounded and fell on the snow outside, releasing its gas there. It did not matter. Burke was being distracted, which was what mattered. He took his eyes away from Howard.

Howard moved. Quickly. A blow to the throat, and then press the carotids. Sorcerer though he may be, Burke was in a human body, that had needs and frailties like all human bodies.

Burke fell down unconscious, and Howard bound his hands. The illusion that Burke had set evaporated, and Barnabas could see Elsa. He grabbed her arms, and made her drop her knife. "That is enough" he said. He tied her hands, too. While Howard blindfolded and gagged Burke. "I want to see him put a spell with no hands, no tongue, and no eyes." he grumbled.

It had gone quickly, just as Howard had said it would.

Having secured both of them, Barnabas could release Vicky, who collapsed weeping in his arms.

"We have him, Vicky. We are going to make him release Phillip." he said.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Vicky rested at the hospital.

"You look better." George said.

"How's little Phillip?"

"He is recovered."

"Thank God. Burke used that to..." She looked away, shaken by what was done to her.

"To rape you." George's voice was sympathetic, though the word itself was a wound for Vicky.

"Yes." Vicky said shivering, remembering what Burke had her say and do.

"You did what you had to do to save your child. Any mother would have done the same. Whatever you did or had it done, it was worth it for the life of your child." he said heatedly.

"Still, I feel so dirty..."

"It is his crime, not yours."

"I know. Rationally I know it. But emotionally I..." There were tears forming in her eyes, but they did not flow. She was tough. She had toughened up in the last years, and she did not realize how much.

"Give it time. Time heals most wounds."

Vicky nodded. "He was rotten. From the start."

"From the start? "

"He told me enough to know how corrupted he was, even in 1967... I am ashamed that I loved him, that I did not see through him."

"Well, you were not the only one deceived. Let it go Vicky. Now concentrate on getting well. Now let us take care of things for you. You deserve it."

"Where is Burke now?"

"Drugged, under heavy guard. We _will_ make him tell how to get Phillip back.."

"And then?"

"Then, we'll figure out how to keep him from hurting us again."

Vicky did not press. She knew when she may be in the presence of an euphemism, and she wanted to keep it that. way.

"Will you please call Tammy or Joe here?" she said firmly

"Why? Do you need them? I can do the same thing for you for free."

"I want to hire them to track his belongings. He said that that he wanted to keep what was his, and that included his money. I do not know where his money ended up after he disappeared, but he might well have taken possession of it again. I want them to track it."

"Why not me?"

"Because you'd be duty bound to return it all. I want them to track it, keep a percentage for themselves as a fee, and let me have a sizeable amount."

"As a restitution?"

"Restitution, but not for me."

George sighed. "One more thing that I am supposed to ignore in my job. But it is true, as private citizens, you are entitled to a finders' fee in any money you return to the rightful owners... if you can figure out who they are."

"Good." Because there was somebody that Burke owed. Somebody that had not mattered to him, nor to those who fawned on him. She would take care of that debt.

* * *

"He's run away. " Carolyn said aloud. "Uncle Roger has run away!"

"He might have wandered off." Adam tried to reassure her. "He might return."

"No. He knew that I was thinking of returning him to the clinic and he ran away. It is my fault! I should have never threatened him with it!"

Adam groaned. There was no end of problems that Roger could cause, it seemed.

* * *

Elsa wept on Alma's shoulder.

"My baby, my poor baby." Alma said.

"I did not want to do it." Elsa sobbed. "But he controlled me. He just looked at me and I did what he wanted. I would have killed Barnabas for him."

Alma nodded. It was not Elsa's fault. She had fallen prey to a warlock, one such as Nicholas Blair. But that did not take Elsa's guilt and pain away. Only time could do it.

* * *

"You really react to the cross that way?" Howard said, pulling the one he had carried with him. "It was not playacting?"

"Why, you never... Of course, you are Jewish..."

"Not only that, the cross I carry is more than a cross. It is a weapon. The link at the top, where you attack the chain, see what happens when you twist it.

He did so and a sharp, pointed blade protruded from the bottom.

"It is a very efficient weapon. I have used it more than once."

'You killed, using a cross?" Barnabas was shocked. It struck him as blasphemous, such use.

"Welcome to my world, Mr. Collins. Anything is a weapon. Anything can be used, and is."

"But you are not in that world anymore."

Howard smiled a bit bitterly. "Mr. Collins, you can take the man out of the Kidon, but not the Kidon out of the man. I belonged to it too long. and I got too many of the old reflexes in me."

"Still, it is too much. Would you use a Star of David as a weapon?"

"Sometimes, you have to use whatever you get your hands on. It is not a nice world that I lived in."

"No, I am aware of that."

"But you would like to forget it. As you would like to find a nice, polite way to get the information out of Devlin."

"I hoped..."

"I know, you got a bit of history together. And you cannot help but remember what a rotter you were in 1967. When you thought that being a vampire explained and excused any behavior of your part. Well, I do not have that problem. I have no previous history with Devlin. All I know if what I found out here. And let me tell you about him. The only thing that he understands is ruthlessness. When he has the power he will not scruple in using it. And he has a lot of power. You cannot handle him with kid gloves. You are gentle with him, and he thinks you weak."

"You may be right."

"I know I am right. I have dealt with those like him long enough. Oh, he will be pleasant and charming with those at his own social level, or those that he chooses to see as companions. But everyone else is another story. You should talk to Elsa as to how he handled her. Or to Vicky, as to what she now understands about him."

"So?"

"So you want to know how to turn Phillip back into a man? You have to get the information out of Devlin."

"You are speaking of torture."

"No. I am speaking of getting into his mind and making him tell the truth. You have a way to reach into his mind. And I know what questions to ask, and how to press for answers.

"But there may be a better way."

"For God's sake come down from the clouds and see the world as it really is! You cannot allow Devlin to regain consciousness. You cannot ask him questions that he can lie about, or refuse to answer. You _need_ the information. And I am telling you how to get it. Leave your scruples for people who actually deserves them, and come along with me in this one."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"You want Phillip out of the fish tank, don't you?" Howard prodded Barnabas.

"I do. But..."

"Then this is the only way, no ifs, ands nor buts."

Barnabas did not answer.

"What do you owe Burke Devlin? Just because you had murderous thoughts about him in 1967. which you never carried out?"

"It is that... I am relieving it. now."

"You mean having flashbacks?"

"To everything that I did in 1967. I try to forget it, I try to tell myself that I am past it, that I made my peace, that I paid Maggie back as best I could, that I am Willie's good friend, and Julia's, That Dave Woodard forgave me... But it comes back..."

"And when did it start?"

"When Burke made me confess to all those things as I confronted him."

"Yes. It is his doing. He is hurting you still."

"But... but I want it to stop."

"Mr. Collins, it will stop or it will not stop, and not doing anything about Burke Devlin will not change it one bit. So you might as well do it, and have something to show for it... It is that, or drugs. Or other methods that you'd find more distasteful still."

"I know..."

"You know but..."

"I keep seeing it again. And it is so sharp. I can see all the mistakes I made, all the intentional cruelty. All the damage. And I know that I could have chosen different, but I did not... You see, I used to tell myself that it was my curse. That as long as I was this inhuman creature, this unholy being, then..."

"Then you could do whatever you wanted, and not have to account for it? Oh, yes. I been there."

"But you..."

'No, I did not derive my identify from being a vampire. But from being a Holocaust survivor, dealing with unimaginable horror. And I found plenty of excuses when I killed to make myself feel better... until Cosmo paid for it... Not that I stopped. I just found a way to kill and be praised for it. It was my way of dealing with all the loss I had suffered. As you dealt with the loss you suffered. You lost much. Your future, your family, your connection to the world you knew... It would have been strange if you had not flipped, as I did...we are survivors of horror, Mr. Collins, and we have to deal with it. "

"Is that it? Loss?"

"Yes. Uncontrollable grief that you could not handle. And getting over years of sensory deprivation torture. Or did you think that being a vampire had anything to do with it?"

"It had something to do."

"Yes. A bit, it gave you the means to do certain things. And you had a need to manage. Which could be managed with a minimum of fuss, and it usually is. What you did in 1967 had nothing to do with being a vampire, and a lot to do with your dealing with an out of control grief You did not want to turn Maggie into Josette because of any vampire needs, but because of your own human, psychological needs. You did not abuse Willie because of any need for blood, but because of your need to be in complete control, lest it all destroy itself around you again. You did not mistreat Julia out of your unholy nature, because you were afraid of caring for her, of caring for anyone. You were wasting your time looking for cures for your condition instead of dealing with your real problem. And now you realize it."

"Yes. I do."

"Well, now that you know it, are you going to allow Burke Devlin to get away with it? Forget about 1967. Think of what he's done now. Think of Phillip in his tank. Think of that child in a coma, to make Vicky compliant. Think of Vicky as you saw her, naked and tied to the chair. Think of how she felt. I do not doubt that she wants Devlin dead now... She'd probably kill him herself if she could. "

"I guess."

"So, come with me to the hospital and we'll do what is needed. You take control of Burke's mind, and you let me interrogate him. We _will_ find a way to restore Phillip.

* * *

She would stay in Collinsport, Amy decided. Maybe later she would make plans to attend a Maine college. Or not. But in any case, she would no longer be in the same state as Chris and Oriana.

She loved Chris dearly, but he never realized how stifling he could be.. He always saw her as his little sister, and worse, made her follow through and act like a little girl.

She had to become an adult, once and for all. She had to make a new life for herself, just as Amy Jennings, not as someone's baby sister.

There would be opportunities in town. There was a local paper and she could write for it. Dig out some interesting stories to liven it up. Bring some controversy to it... Maybe spur the creation of another paper..

And there might be a chance for romance along the way.

But she had to remember that while she could not suffer from the werewolf curse, she could transmit it. Well, she could adopt, as Chris had done. Or she could finish the job that Magda had done, go to the gypsies and ask their help to remove the curse from her and her children. As Jenny's descendant, she might have a claim on their help. She would not steal Petofi's hand, she would just ask for her right, as a descendant of the tribe to have it help her.

There was a new life waiting for her here, if she knew how to make it for herself.

* * *

Sebastian thought that he should really leave Collinsport. He did not like the place that much. But he had been sick for a while. And then Quentin had paid him for his trouble, and told him that Carolyn Collins might be willing to give him more, and even hire his services...

Well, if there was money to be made, he could not turn it down. And with summer the tourists would come, and more than one would be willing to pay to have a horoscope made, or otherwise been given some insight into their lives, and what they should do about them. It was not the future that he read, but the present, and what it might lead to if the wrong decisions were made. That's what made it so accurate. The future was fluid and could be changed, but the present was there, and unless someone was traveling back in time... as they did it here more than once, would not change...

He wondered what were the wrong decisions he had made that had led to disastrous ends...

Like not disappearing completely from Maggie Evans' life and never setting foot in Collinsport again. If he did that, then Roxie would still be alive...

Or not... Roxie had made a bad decisions years before she knew him, and it could not be changed...

He missed Roxie so much...

* * *

Barnabas stopped drinking. He had done all he could to have control of Burke's mind. Now Burke would answer the questions that would be posed to him.

He had had contact with Burke' mind and was shocked at the nastiness he found in it. Had Burke changed so much over the years? In his mind he saw him still as the stalwart hero, ready to save Vicky...

And now Vicky had needed saving from him...

He stepped back as Howard came forward, bent over Burke and began questioning.

Howard had needed him for it. Before he could do the biting and controlling on his own. No more.

He felt a twinge of pity for Burke. He had come to realize how ruthless Howard was. He would get the answers out of Burke, and not care if he did any damage in the process.

But Burke was no innocent... Not after what he had done to Phillip, to Vicky, to their child...

Howard shot the questions quickly, one after the other, his voice cold, logical, relentless...

A shiver ran through Barnabas. It as Nunez' body in front of him. It was Nunez interrogating the prisoners that were being tortured for their answers...

No, it was Howard. Burke was not being tortured...

Not physically that is. But Howard meant to break him. Until he knew how to reverse the spell that condemned Phillip to the fish tank.

Reluctantly, Burke began to speak, to describe the steps that would return Phillip to his human shape.

Barnabas hated it. It was wrong, what he and Howard were doing... But it was wrong to abandon Phillip too.

In the end it came to a choice. Burke or Phillip. He knew what Vicky would choose. He knew that the only reason Vicky had not asked that Burke be killed was because of this...

And then came the question, what was to be done with Burke once they knew the answer?

Burke kept talking, outlining the procedure.

"Did you get all of it?" Howard asked.

"Yes."

"Well, tomorrow you do it. And then we'll see if it works."

"And if it doesn't?"

"We interrogate him again."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"You think that you got it now?" George asked Barnabas

"Yes. I do think that Burke told us what we need to do."

"And you think that it will work?"

"I must hope so. If not, we will interrogate him gain. I hope not. Honestly, Howard gives me the creeps. But we need him. We need his expertise. But I wish we did not.:"

"Yes. There is something about him that gives me the creeps too."

"You know that he has a dagger disguised as a cross? That he has killed more than once with it? He showed me... the blade as it came out... and... and I still shaken by it."

"And what did he say about it?"

"Welcome to my world."

"Yes. That was his world for quite a long time. He is an efficient killing machine, and that is not going to change. But if that returns Phillip to us, I am willing to accept it." he bent down and kissed Barnabas. who pulled away.

"I am sorry, George. I must abstain. From sex and other tings. Build up the power inside me that way."

* * *

"You do not need to thank me, Mrs. Todd." Howard said to Vicky, who had asked him to come to her room.

"No, I mean, I am grateful, but that's not why I asked you to come. I have a couple of questions to ask you."

"What is it?" he wondered how much she had been told of him.

"I understand that you have specialized training. That you can find certain things. Tell me, how could I find out more about a place in Brazil called San Cristobal das Montes? A small village, that was destroyed by fire in the late fifties. How could I find out more?"

"You could find about it in the newspapers. Any good library could let you have access to them. A University library... But you are in no shape to go there now. Why do you want to know?"

"Tammy found where Burke kept his money stashed away. As we figured out he had cleaned the estate's accounts, They kept the finder's fees, and I am keeping some out of it. I now want to know to whom to give it to. From what Burke told me, he had burned this village when they did not want to sell their land to the company that he worked for. I want to know how bad it was, and if anyone died. And how much it would take to give the survivors a new life."

"That might be tougher to find out. And I don't have access. But I can talk to Tammy and Joe and tell them where and how to look. I imagine that they have tracked also the origins of Burke's fortune. And they better be careful with the Brazilian government. Some things they do not want to make public, and they can be quite brutal. But I think that we can find some missionary group, or organizations such as CARE to give us a good background. I can give you a list of people that can be contacted..."

"Thanks..." she looked straight at him. "Have they decided what to do with Burke?"

"No. We are keeping him drugged. At least until we can get Phillip back to normal."

"And have they decided what to do with him afterwards?"

"No, not yet."

"There is only one thing to be done. And you know what it is." Vicky's eyes darkened. The last of her young girl illusions had died away. For the sake of her husband, of her child, she must let go of it, and accept what must be done.. And she knew that this man knew it as well as she.

"Yes. I do."

* * *

Barnabas rose from his coffin in silence. The ritual demanded that he should not speak, not until the faced Phillip.

Howard and George took him by the arms. and led him. Barnabas, lost in contemplation, seemed blind to the path that they were taking. They went out of the Old House, towards the beach where Phillip waited, by the surf, the waves every now and then washing over him and keeping him moist.

Barnabas walked as if in a trance. The ritual that he followed demanded not only that he abstain from sex, but also from feeding, or even leaving his coffin for two full nights. There had been some panic when he did this, but then he had meditated and gathered the power into himself until he had fallen into a trance, as he was supposed to do.

He walked on the beach feeling the droplets strike his skin. He was hungry too, and he wondered, which one of the two, would serve to appease it. Probably George...

Phillip looked at them with hungering eyes. Had he gotten it right? Had Burke told them all that he needed to know?

There was only one way to find out.

Phillip laid on his back, spread eagled, with his eyes closed. Barnabas bent over him and gently touched his eyelids and gills.

He then rose and took a clump of earth and some dried flowers that George had gathered for this. Then, in his other hand, he took kelp and sand.

He moved around Phillip three times, letting the flowers and earth fall upon Phillip, while scattering the kelp and sand away.

Then he removed his coat and threw it over Phillip so that he was wholly hidden from view. He knelt by Phillip's head and began the chant, gathering his powers all together, forcing them to come through him to Phillip.

There was movement under the coat, and a soft moan, almost as if Phillip was in pain. He did not relent. He continued the chant and the moaning grew. He gestured to Howard and George who fastened themselves to the coat, holding it down, it spite of Phillip's attempt to slough it off.

The moaning had become shouts now, and it took the three of them to keep Phillip covered. George looked at Barnabas with concern. Was this supposed to happen? Yet he did not speak.

Then the screaming subsided, as did the movement. Then it was just a soft moaning, and the coat rose and fell following Phillip's breathing.

Barnabas lifted the coat.

Phillip had sloughed off his fish skin, and lied there, all naked, in pink raw skin, not trace of the fish being left in his body.

They helped him to his feet.

He was shaken and accept their help and the clothes they offered him. He did not speak, not yet, but he would as soon as he left the beach. He touched his arms, testing that it was really his own skin that he now wore.

He looked down at the skin left in the sand. What about it?"

"Let the sea reclaim that which is rightfully his." Barnabas said, "as it returned that which was not."

They left the beach, and soon as they entered George's car and drove away from the ocean, turning their backs to it, Phillip began to both cry and laugh with relief.

It was a short drive to the hospital, to get Phillip admitted, and to get Vicky in to visit him. Phillip was tended according to the instructions that Kenneth had set, and Vicky needed to be alone, so Barnabas and George went away. Barnabas was still hungry, and George was willing. And then other hunger came to the surface between the two.

No one wondered where Howard had gone...

Howard knew what was needed. Even if Barnabas and George did not want to think about it. Vicky understood it, better than anyone. Any scruple she might have had been washed away with the thought of what had been done to the people she loved. She would do anything to protect her child, _anything_ and not bat an eye when she did it. She had endured Burke's rape for the sake of her son. She was quite willing to condone what must be done.

What else was to be done with one such as Burke Devlin? No jail could hold him. Keeping him constantly drugged was not an option..

He got into Devlin's room and closed the door behind him. He went to the IV that fed the tranquilizer into Burke's body. Quickly he took the hypodermic syringe that he had borrowed from Frances and used it to inject the poison into the IV bag.

He then left the room, not waiting how see how it slowly took effect.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Burke Devlin had died of what seemed to be natural causes, without recovering consciousness. That was what the hospital report said.

George looked at Barnabas

"I was with you all the time, you know that."

"Yeah. But where was Howard?"

"I... don't know." he sighed.

"Well, he decided that Devlin was a problem that needed to be taken care of... I don't know why I am surprised. We know what he is, what he has been doing all those years. Did we expect him to forget all that, just because he has a new life?"

"He said it himself, that you can take a man out of the Kidon, but not the Kidon out of the man... he is what he is."

"And the worst part of it, is that I agree with him. What could we have done with Devlin? No jail could have held him... I remember what happened when I locked up Frank and Buffy. I got taken over by Laura myself. Devlin could have done the same, and returned more powerful than ever. Letting him go free was out of the question. The law could not handle him."

"And while he lived, Vicky, Phillip, and the child would be in danger. m Yes. I agree. Howard took the decision out of our hands, and all we can be is grateful that he did."

"So now I am now condoning murder..."

"You know that if Devlin could be handled by ordinary justice he'd be in a jail cell now, talking to a lawyer, and looking to a long stretch in jail. But he could not."

"Would you have done it?"

"Would you? You knew the problem as well as I did. And you were sworn to protect the people of this place. Devlin threatened them. You would have shot him in other circumstances. If he was shooting at you, or threatening a hostage, as you shot Violet. How is different?"

"Because he was helpless in that hospital bed."

"Yes. And the moment the drug wore off, he would become a threat again. For him, just stilling on the bed would be the equivalent of pulling a gun."

"Still, it stinks."

"It does. But it was not our doing, not our decision. We procrastinated and we let Howard solve the problem for us. You want to feel dirty about it, go ahead. I probably will too. And I will probably shiver when I think of Howard and what I know about him. He is a cold blooded killer when he has to be. He was trained to be one"

"And let's hope that the does not have to be one in the future."

"Let's hope that. Let's hope we do not need more of his... decision making... Now I am off to see Phillip."

* * *

Phillip was well enough to talk. He was assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle that depicted a harvest scene. That was part of the needs of his convalescence. The sea still called to him, however weakly, and he was not allowed to have any reminders of it in the room, either in the decoration, or his clothing. The walls were painted beige, the window opened towards fields, and all the pictures were of dry land scenes, all with browns, reds, oranges, yellows and greens. No blues allowed. The sheets were yellow striped, and his pajamas were dark plum. He was not allowed plain water to drink. Coffee, milk, fruit juices, yes, but no water. And it would be along time before he was allowed to eat seafood.

Phillip accepted the constraints cheerfully. He had had enough of the sea now, and the dry land reminders that he was offered had the charm of novelty. When the novelty wore off, when he looked at them without seeing them, then he would be safe from ever retuning to the sea.

He looked up when Barnabas came in.

"I don't know how to thank you." he said. "Me and Vicky both. I don't know how you did it, but..."

Barnabas accepted Phillip's thanks with slight embarrassment. He never felt comfortable hearing what a wonderful person he was. It tended to remind him of the times when he was not so.

"Where is Vicky?"

"She had to leave. She is a busy woman, and has to take care of business. But she brought little Phillip to see me. She seemed a bit tired, but happy. Not like she looked when I was in the tank. I did not feel very happy then, either."

"What do you think of Little Phillip?"

"Looks like he'll grow up a nice kid. If I do not fail at being a parent, of course."

"Why should you fail?"

"I have failed so much."

"Your failing was to take care of the finances when you have no talent for them. Megan warned me of that, that Vicky had to take charge of them... There is much that you can do, Phillip. Handling money is not one of them"

"I wonder if there is anything that I can do.."

"You ran a good antique shop. While Megan handled the money, you handled all the other stuff and was good at it."

"I guess I will have to be helping Vicky now, in her new business.." he did not sound too enthusiastic. "Either that or let her support me. Maybe become a househusband."

"It is too early for you to be making those decisions. For now, concentrate on getting well."

"Am I still in danger?"

"Burke Devlin is dead. His heart gave out after we reversed his spell. It probably hit him in the recoil." That was going to be the official version, and he would stick to it.

"Burke Devlin? That was his name?"

"Yes. He was once engaged to be married to Vicky. That was in the old days, when I was not the nice person I am now. When I was quite rotten, as a matter of fact. I had designs on Vicky myself, and he suspected me of it and worse... all true, of course. He was lost in a plane accident and presumed dead. But he didn't die, and when he finally came back, Vicky was an obsession for him. When he found her married to you, and your relationship to me... well, I guess it all came back. And he had learned a few things while he was away... So you ended up paying for me."

"And I fell for it..."

"What happened to you?"

"We had no money, as Vicky must have told you already. She got pregnant, and that made it worse. So one day this guy approaches me and makes me this offer. It sounded fishy, but... I thought... he looked at Barnabas, blushing

"You thought it might involve sex."

"It was not explicit. He might just want a musician for a private party... maybe... I was ready to make anything for money."

"You could have called me or Megan."

"I was too proud to let you know what I failure I was. I was a fool. But I thought that it was just a bad streak, and that if I tided it over, better times would come. I had some prospects that might pay off."

"Do not feel too bad. Burke would have caught you one way or the other. You just did not know enough to be on your guard."

"I was hoping that whatever it was that I had to do, I would get enough money until I got the booking that my agent had promised me. And that might be my big break. I would not have liked what I had to do for the money, but it would not be the first time that I got paid for something I did not enjoy doing."

"So you went to meet him and told nothing to Vicky."

"I did not want her to know what I might have to do. She would have tried to talk me out of it... Well, I met him and he took me to his room, gave me a drink, and when it took effect, made me undress. I gritted my teeth to endure what he would do, but he did not touch me. He just burned some incense and I kept getting drowsier and drowsier. I heard him chant something that I could not make out. I got to see him stand by a burning brazier. His eyes were shining... and then I ... I felt myself sinking into sleep. And the next thing I was in the tank, beginning to remember who I was. I mean, I remember swimming, trying to keep out of sharks, and this kind of idea that I had to find Vicky..."

"Well, it is over."

"You said that he is dead. Am I supposed to go identify the body, to see if he is the same one?'

"George might insist on it, to be on the safe side."

* * *

Are Phillip and Vicky's troubles finally over? What is going on with the egg and why are they abducting people? Will Adam and Carolyn finally marry?

Stay tuned...


End file.
